The present invention relates to latex paints.
Latex paints are a mixture of a multitude of ingredients. Typical ingredients include coalescing aids, thickening aids, dispersing aids, defoamers, biocides, pigments, and binders. The large numbers of ingredients makes it difficult to formulate latex paints. In addition, optional ingredients are also employed in latex formulations to enhance various paint properties. For example, rheology modifiers are employed to enhance a paint's film-build characteristics. Film-build influences the hiding power of a paint, i.e., film-build is an indication of how well one coat of the paint covers a surface. Since flat latex paints are generally applied over a much larger surface area, e.g., wall and ceiling surfaces, than the surface areas typically covered by semi-gloss latex paints, e.g., trim, film-build characteristics are especially important in flat latex paints.
However, use of rheology modifiers in paint formulations tends (a) to make it more difficult to formulate latex paints and (b) to adversely affect other latex paint properties.